Colombia: A Crisis in the Dairy Industry Due to Milk Adulteration
Sourse: dairynews.today
Milk producers in Colombia have raised concerns over milk adulteration, impacting quality and consumer trust.
Milk producers in Colombia have raised an alarm about a growing crisis in the industry resulting from milk adulteration. Reports have surfaced indicating the mixing of milk with whey, with proportions ranging from 3% to 12%. This practice has deteriorated the product’s quality, undermining consumer confidence. Despite a 2006 decree explicitly forbidding such practices, farmers assert that effective controls are absent.
The Colombian National Institute for the Surveillance of Food and Medicines (Invima) acquired equipment in 2022 for analysis, yet mandatory monthly inspections have not been instituted. Compounding the adulteration issue is a decrease in the purchase of raw milk by the industry over the past two years. In regions such as Boyacá, Santander, Cundinamarca, Antioquia, and Nariño, some producers have been forced to discard milk. Consumption has aggravated the situation: following a 9% decline in 2022 and a 6% drop in 2023, the rebound in 2024 was under 1%.
Meanwhile, inventories of powdered milk and derivatives continue to rise, creating bottlenecks in the supply chain. Organizations like Demogan and Analac are urging the government to impose stricter controls, sanction companies involved in adulteration, and implement a surveillance plan to ensure milk quality and the industry's sustainability.
The Colombian National Institute for the Surveillance of Food and Medicines (Invima) acquired equipment in 2022 for analysis, yet mandatory monthly inspections have not been instituted. Compounding the adulteration issue is a decrease in the purchase of raw milk by the industry over the past two years. In regions such as Boyacá, Santander, Cundinamarca, Antioquia, and Nariño, some producers have been forced to discard milk. Consumption has aggravated the situation: following a 9% decline in 2022 and a 6% drop in 2023, the rebound in 2024 was under 1%.
Meanwhile, inventories of powdered milk and derivatives continue to rise, creating bottlenecks in the supply chain. Organizations like Demogan and Analac are urging the government to impose stricter controls, sanction companies involved in adulteration, and implement a surveillance plan to ensure milk quality and the industry's sustainability.
Key News of the Week
